Level device



July 11', 1950 D. M. KROENER LEVEL DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1946 P MM Te 5 mm w W M 0 d m 6 w 0 Patented July 11,1950

UNITED: STATES I LEVEL DEVICE Delbert M. Kroener, Dayton,-hio Application October 18, 1946, Serial No. 704,264

' 2 Claims. (01. 33-206),

. This invention relates to spirit level devices.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved level device which is simple in construction, easy to assemble and accurate in performance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved spirit level device, the level device being very easy and inexpensive to fabricate by the method and means herein provided.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a carpenters level employing a spirit bulb according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l of the midportion of the level of Figure 1, said level being in tilted position.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken through the mid-portion of the level of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail-cross-sectional View of the spirit bulb of the level of Figure 1 showing the sealing means for the bulb.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a mold for forming th core of the level bulb according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings I designates a generally cylindrical core of molded transparent material such as glass, transparent plastic, or the like. Core H is formed with circular recesses |2, |2 on each side of its main body portion, and cemented into each side of the core overlying the recesses |2, |2 ar transparent cover discs |3, |3 of suitable material such as glass. Each recess I2 is half full of transparent level fluid I4, and floating 0n the top surface of the fluid M is a diametrically extending float l5 of buoyant material which functions as an indicating pointer. The outer rim of the core H is suitably calibrated at each side thereof with markings representing degrees of angular deviation of the level, as shown at |6. The level bulb is preferably mounted cen-' trally in a block I! having straight parallel top and bottom edges |8, |8. since the bulb is symmetrical the angular deviation of the block may be read from either side thereof, and if one face of the bulb becomes marred or broken, th level is still usable by employing the other face to obtain level indications.

The bulb core is fabricated b pouring molten transparent material into a mold indicated genterfitting hollow segments 20 and: 2|, segment 20 being formed with a shouldered rim '22 which fits into an annular seat 23 formed at the rim of segment 2|. The joining plane defined by theedge of the rim of segment 2| is the central plane of the mold cavity defined by the hollow segments 20 and 2|. An aperture '24 is provided in the top of the mold l9 through which the molten transparent material is introduced. During the molding operation, segments 20 and 2| are secured together by a clamp device 25 which is conventional in construction.

After the core has cooled and is in a hardened condition it is removed from the mold l9 by loosening the clamp device 25 and detaching the mold segments '20 and 2|. A pair of openings, shown at '26, 26 are formed in the annular peripheral portions of the core. These openings may be formed during the molding operation by providing rods as shown in dotted View at 21, 21 which are supported in recesses 28, 28 in the mold segments. Rods 21 may consist of short lengths of Wire wrapped in asbestos or the like so that they may be easily removed from the hardened core after the molding operation. The transparent discs I 3, l3 are secured in annular seats 29 provided therefor at the rim portions of core H by suitable cement.

The float members l5, l5 are placed in the respective core cavities prior to the securement of the transparent discs l3, l3 in their seats 29, 29. The transparent level fluid M is poured into the core cavities through the pro-formed openings 26, 26 and said openings are then sealed up by a sealing compound such as a mixture of tar, cement and pulverized sand, forming plugs shown at 30, 30. The completed level bulb may then be secured in a suitable block such as is shown at IT.

Since the core I is transparent, the level may be read either by light reflected from its front face or by light passing through the front face from the rear thereof. This feature facilitates accurate use of the level over a wide range of lighting conditions.

While a specific embodiment of a level device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a level, a bulb comprising a flat cylindrical core of transparent material formed axially in its opposite ends with circular recesses, transparent disks secured to the ends of said core in closing relation to said recesses to define cylindrical chambers, bodies of liquid half-filling said chambers, buoyant rods floating in said bodies of liquid in said chambers in diametrical relation to said transparent disks, whereby the relative positions of said rods are visibleufrom each side Of said bulb, andsai'd rods can exhibit an axial deviation of said bulb from the horizontal through deviation of said rods from coincidence as well as a transverse deviation of said bulb from the horizontal.

2. A level bulb comprising a cylindrical block of transparent material formed in its opposite ends with relatively shallow cylindrical recesses; saidrecesses being axially aligned with each other and with said cylindrical block and spaced at a substantial axial distance from each other so as to define a partition of substantial thickness between'sa'id recesses, transparent disks secured to the opposite ends of said block and closing the 4 shallow cylindrical chambers, bodies of liquid half-filling said chambers, buoyant rods floating diametrically in said chambers in the liquid therein, both of said rods being independently movable with respect to each other and visible through either end of the bulb in sufliciently spaced relation so as to be capable of visually indicating both axial and transverse deviation of said bulb from the horizontal andaxialand trans- :verse coincidence of said f-bulb with the horizontal.

DELBERT M. KROENER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the :fil'e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Cravaritis et al. Dec. 22, 1 942 

